Los Angeles - Today, the Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance with prohibits the use of loudspeakers or any other sound amplifying equipment on unenclosed tour buses in the City of Los Angeles. The ordinance, which began as a motion introduced by Councilmember Ryu in September of last year, requires any unenclosed commercial tour bus, or a tour bus that has been modified to have its roof partially or completely removed, to use headphones for passengers instead of the common current practice of loudspeakers and amplifiers. Councilmember Ryu released the following statement:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 5, 2018

Press Contact:

Estevan Montemayor

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213.605.4145

City Council Prohibits Loud Speakers on Open-Air Tour Buses

Los Angeles - Today, the Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance with prohibits the use of loudspeakers or any other sound amplifying equipment on unenclosed tour buses in the City of Los Angeles. The ordinance, which began as a motion introduced by Councilmember Ryu in September of last year, requires any unenclosed commercial tour bus, or a tour bus that has been modified to have its roof partially or completely removed, to use headphones for passengers instead of the common current practice of loudspeakers and amplifiers. Councilmember Ryu released the following statement:

“The Hollywood Hills are not a theme park, and the stream of tour buses with loudspeakers created a constant din in otherwise quiet neighborhoods,” Councilmember Ryu said. “There is no need for tour bus operators to use loudspeakers over headphones, and the ordinance approved today is a reasonable, common-sense compromise that allows the tour bus industry to conduct business and preserves residents’ quality of life.”

The ordinance requires open-air tour buses to employ headphones instead of loudspeakers in the sharing of information to customers. Tour bus operators who violate the ordinance, which should go into effect in four to six weeks, will be violating the California Vehicle Code 42001 and can be fined and have offending vehicles impounded. The City ordinance was made possible by a change to State law signed by Governor Brown in September 2017 which allows municipalities to regulate tour bus operators in their respective boundaries. That law, commonly known as AB25, was introduced by Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, who represents California’s 46th district, including parts of the Hollywood Hills and the San Fernando Valley.